New Year, Same You? | YNAB

The clock strikes midnight and starbursts begin to flare overhead. As fireworks illuminate the night sky, this is it.

Society called earlier. You were out, so I took a message and they’re saying something about how you better make the most of it? “Tell them,” they said, “this is their annual opportunity to start anew. To be a better, different person.” Oh, right. Sure. Sounds intense.

And if you’re all-in on the new year being a transformation, more power to you. But what if… dramatic pause… you don’t need to make radical changes?

Consider this: if—beneath the eruptions of color and sound—the weight of expectation feels more burdensome than buoyant, you’re not alone! What if there was an opportunity to cast aside the January obsession of overnight rebirth, and find a lighter way of stepping into the new year?
‍
This time around, the calendar change could be your chance to leave the sledgehammer in the shed. Instead, let’s gently chip away at the stone to reveal the person who you want to be. The person who *woo-woo alert* is already inside.
‍
So let’s do it. Money worry is out, spendfulness is in. It’s time to twenty-twenty-thrive. (Yes, I really said that, and I’m not sorry.)

Maybe you’re already doing a good job at life-ing

‍Let’s not slam the door on last year with haste. Can you reflect on things that made you feel good over the last twelve months?
‍
You could do that by looking through your transaction history in YNAB to see what gives you fuzzy feelings. It might be scanning your credit card statements with a highlighter in hand. You could even look through your camera roll or your favorite group chat.

Skip over the 37 accidental screenshots of your home screen and ask yourself, what were the highlights? What activities, events or purchases put a smile on your face when you look back?

However you do it, this reflection activity can be double-layered. You’re celebrating the act itself that made you feel good (like: did yoga four days a week) and the fact that you chose to divert some of your hard-earned money there (10/10, would pay again). 

When those two things are aligned, sparks of spendfulness fly. So bask in that glow!
‍
Look for the joy in the less obvious, too. The obligatory, even. At first glance, all that grocery spending might not feel great. But there’s more to every expense than the dollar amount—keeping your family well-fed is important. Those decisions are something to be proud of, too.

I’m reminded of one of the five questions that guide people in practicing the YNAB Method: “What changes do I need to make, if any?”

Those two little words at the end are brimming with grace. Maybe a lot of what you’re doing already is great, and you should continue to make space for it in the months ahead. 

Change for the sake of change? Not this year.

How to identify personal priorities for the year ahead

On the other hand, it can be hard to feel that your spending is aligned with your values, if you don’t know what they are.

Of course, we all have them. Some of them are primal. Some innate, some learned. Cultural, even. But have you ever paused to think about your values? Articulate them?

Let’s take the grocery example above. A look at the numbers says “we should cut back.” But dig deeper, my foodie friend.
‍
Maybe all those dollars spent on dinners are… kinda priceless. The nightly ritual of the family around the table, sharing a home-cooked meal, is a priority for you. You could try to do it cheaper; see if the kids notice that you switched out some of their favorite items. Risk losing the magic. 

Or, you can look at that grocery shopping through a different lens of spendfulness, and suddenly feel better about it.
‍
Turning your priorities into spending categories in YNAB is like creating a little map of what matters most to you. Over time, as you fund those categories, your values start to shine through. It’s like holding up a mirror to your money—and seeing you reflected back.

The act of writing down what is truly important to you is powerful. That way you can mentally benchmark your future decisions against the list, to help you weigh up tradeoffs, because you know yourself.

Vacation or home renovation? Stash that bonus for retirement, or throw yourself a giant birthday party? There’s no wrong answer. Only your answer. 

How to plan hopeful goals instead of restrictive resolutions

January is a bleak month for us Northern hemisphere dwellers. It’s the natural time for the body to rest. 

Which leads me to wonder, why are so many new year’s resolutions focused on deprivation? Self-flagellation? It’s not natural, people! Let me know when spring arrives and then we’ll talk.
‍
Of course, going into the new year with aspirations and dreams matters! But how can you frame them in a hopeful, sustainable way, instead of a punishing one? How can you lead with your spending and let the results flow across the year?

Instead of “eat healthier,” you could make space in your spending plan for cooking classes which you’ll look forward to, staggered through the year. If you want to buy your dream car, identify a realistic target to fund each month which would give you enough money by December, whilst still allowing for a social life.

Weaving these priorities into YNAB will help you to keep them alive throughout ‘25. That relieves the need to go hard in January and burn out by Feb.

Bonus: you’ll know these things truly matter to you if you’re still excited about allocating dollars to them by BBQ season.

Find yourself, financially

Now it’s time to put your best foot forward, but you get to choose the pace. I invite you to recall this powerful quote from our Loose Change writer, Dan, which has been living rent free in my head since May:‍

We shouldn’t try to become someone else with a purchase–we should try to spend our money to create alignment with who we actually are.

Dan’s words really struck a chord with me. All the money and energy I’ve diverted over the years trying to be someone else. It feels so hopeful to have my own unique spending plan now, based on the things I truly care about.

Remember who you are, and let this be your most spendful year yet. 

Do you ever worry about money? You’re not alone. Download YNAB, get good with money, and never worry about money again. Try YNAB for free for 34 days.